Assassin's Creed
by BlackRoseDragonCK
Summary: Two-shot. He was contaminated. There was no doubt about it. Axel could feel the darkness flowing through his veins, mingled with fire and nothingness rather than blood. Of course, he wasn't human. He was Organization XIII's newest member and they claimed to have a unique job for him. NO YAOI. First chapter has Akusai friendship-ish interaction, second has akurokushi friendship.
1. Tainted Eyes

**I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS BY TETSUYA NOMURA**

**Hello :D! Been awhile since I posted a KH story…I thought that, to go from the adorable, cheery kid he was in BBS to the ruthless assassin in Chain of Memories, Axel would have had to had a pretty tough time. This story deals with his being the newest member of the Organization and his getting his assassin job. This first chapter has Axel and Saix and the epilogue will have Axel, Roxas, and Xion. Title credit for this goes to Patrice Desilets', Jade Raymond, and Corey May's Assassin's Creed series (the fic has nothing to do with that game though). There is no yaoi or any other pairings. Anyways, please enjoy :D!**

**XXX**

_Insanity was defined as doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result. That was exactly what this was. Insanity._

_He'd relived it so many times. It was the same experience—no alterations whatsoever. Yet it still manifested itself freshly potent and horrific every time. _

_Blackness enveloped him from all angles. It was as if someone had wrapped him in a massive ebony sheet of intangible fabric. No matter how frantically his fingers grasped, he could not catch hold of anything. He was falling…falling…falling into darkness. For awhile, he thought he had gone blind. _

_ But blindness—complete physical, mental, numbing blindness—would have been a blessing. Oblivion would have been a desperate wish mercifully realized. No such courtesy was granted. Instead…he received enlightenment._

_ It was unlike any other feeling he'd ever endured. There was nothing to compare it to; for he'd never felt anything like this. A massive rift was chiseled with agonizing accuracy into his center. He felt his core, his pulsing, throbbing heart, exposed to those dark forces. He let out a scream, or thought he did, as his very being was split into two halves. One was thrown in one precarious direction while the other was brutally shoved into another tenuous state of existence. Whatever shreds remained were fed to the inhumanly ravenous shadows. _

_ He was left ravaged, torn, heartless—not knowing where, when, who, or what he was. All that remained was the darkness. It surrounded him like a vice, filling what was left of him like toxic oxygen. He tried to keep it away, but could not escape its pungent, unforgettable odor. Eyes, nose, mouth…every orifice, every pore was flooded with the accursed onyx entity. He coughed and gagged. He thrashed with whatever was left of his body._

_ The taint of darkness would not leave him._

**XXX**

With a painful-sounding intake of breath, Axel shot up in bed. His sheets were tangled about his long legs. Suddenly claustrophobic, he struggled to free himself. He coughed violently and sucked in air. Relief came only when he realized that it was not dark-scented. It was the usual, sterilely-cold air of his metal chambers in the Castle that Never Was.

Throwing his sheets to the silver floor, Axel sat on the edge of the bed. He was clothed only in his black pants. His cloak, boots, and gloves lay haphazardly on the floor. Sweat covered his pale skin and soaked his fire-red hair. His shoulders heaved up and down as he drank in the clean oxygen. His lanky body shuddered uncontrollably.

Once his hazy vision cleared, Axel cast his serpent-green eyes about. The room was dark—thankfully not as dark as that gruesome dream though. Weak light from myriad stars shone through its lone window. They cast the room in an eerie glow, further accentuating its metallic color.

Even so, it was still too dark. Axel's breathing grew labored again. He tried in vain to calm himself. It wasn't a "feeling" of panic exactly. The section of his chest where his heart should have been was as cold and numb as ever. It was more like instinct, something that seemed to seize control of his body against his will. Or perhaps it was his human memories determined to make a comeback. Either way, the sensation was frustrating. He'd been living in this frigid, uninviting castle for a week now and he was certain that rings were beginning to form under his eyes from lack of sleep. The phobia-like symptoms had been plaguing him every single night.

Axel got shakily to his feet and staggered. He squeezed his eyes shut. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he tried to slow his oxygen intake. The effort was in vain. He could still feel the darkness from his dream overtaking his being. He was contaminated. Instinct urged him to scream, curse, or tear his hair out.

Deciding that the first would call too much attention to himself, Axel cursed, dragging his fingernails across his sweaty skull. He stumbled toward the door and barely got it open wide enough to slip out into the hallway. The corridor was equally cold but better lit. Bracing his hand on the wall, the crimson-haired young man laboriously steered himself toward the washroom.

He could still smell it—that musty, suffocating, awful smell. There was no likening it to anything. It was the dark scent—nothing more and nothing less. Nearly tripping over his own feel, Axel coughed again. He groaned. He didn't know how Ienzo or Zexion or whatever he called himself could stand having such a powerful olfactory sense this close to the darkness. Axel was only imagining it in his PTSD episodes and he was still practically asphyxiating.

"Freakin' darkness…" he hissed under his breath. "…if I'd known it would be this bad…woulda made different…choices…"

Panting, he groped frantically along the slick wall. Finally, his fingers grasped the doorway of the washroom. He pulled himself inside.

Normally, the Nobodies abbreviated their showers in order to save hot water. That way, the water could be distributed evenly among all members. Axel knew that he should really be courteous to the others, but he couldn't have cared less. Imagined or not, he had to get rid of the dark scent. Number VIII trudged into the room and was assaulted by pristine white tile. It covered the walls and floor, interrupted only by a showerhead, temperature handles, and a drain. There was a small sink and mirror several feet away from the shower area. A bin if towels and hooks for hanging clothing rested against the adjacent wall.

Axel practically fell against the wall containing the showerhead. He cranked it on as hot as it would go. A normal person would have been instantly scalded by the boiling rain, but the nothingness and fire flowing through his veins made for a high tolerance of heat. The redhead placed his hands against the wall and hung his head low, letting the water pour over his shoulders and back. Steaming liquid washed over his body and hair, completely soaking his jeans. He didn't bother to take them off.

Turning his back to the tile, he slid down the wall until he was sitting on the floor. He drew his knees up to his chest and buried his head in his forearms. Steam billowed all about him like a thin cloud. Glinting from wetness, his skin looked almost as white as the tile, starkly contrasted against his pitch black jeans. His ruby spikes were significantly flattened by the water.

It "felt" better to sit there, shrouded by vapor and pounded by water. Even if it did absolutely nothing to cleanse him, he could at least pretend that it did. How long he sat with his eyes shielded from the room's harsh lighting, he did not know. Resolved not to ponder that wretched nightmare of being split into Heartless and Nobody, he reveled in the blissful nothing he had become. All phantom pains were pushed to the backburner. Water striking tile was the only distinctive sound.

Only when he heard the click-click-click of booted feet did he look up. Several feet away, wrapped in steam and looking even more cadaverous than usual, was Isa.

_"Saix…"_ Axel mentally corrected himself. _"…he's not quite the same kid I used to know—just like I'm not the kid I used to be."_

Saix was regarding him with calculating eyes of frigid amber. His brows, the same color as his flowing ultramarine hair, were furrowed. This made the X-shaped scar marring the center of his face crinkle somewhat. His colorless skin and inky cloak were a combination reminiscent of a silvery moon against the starless night. Offhandedly, Axel wondered how long it had been since the man had glimpsed the light of day. Of course, not that he would want to; for he drew his power from the very celestial being he so resembled.

Silent as the grave, the Luna Diviner seemed to be waiting for his old companion to speak first. With a hassled sigh, Axel reached up and shut off the shower. He then let his arm fall back across his knees and arched his eyebrows wryly.

"To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?"

Saix studied him for a moment. Ignoring the condescending greeting, he remarked, "Even as a Nobody, you retain many human characteristics. It is only to be expected that your mind will need time to adjust after its trauma."

Axel chuckled at this. Typical Isa—blunt and to the point, as always.

"Is that so?" the redhead retorted, glancing away. "I thought you needed a heart to be scarred."

He had yet to digest the information that Organization XIII had been feeding him since his arrival. It all seemed too absolute, too dogged to apply to such a vague concept.

Apparently sensing his thoughts, Saix gave him a sharp look. "Indeed. However, you are not 'scarred' as you put it. You are experiencing a fictional nyctophobia elicited by fledgling memories. It will pass in due time."

"Wonderful," Axel smirked. He then inquired, "So why didn't our esteemed Superior give me this spiel before?"

Number VII did not answer. He flicked his eyes toward the wall, as if finding a speck on the tile suddenly fascinating. Rolling his eyes, Axel got to his feet. He shook out his dripping hair like a dog, not minding when he sprayed his visitor. He arduously dragged his wet jean-clad legs over to the sink.

"Look Saix, sorry to burst your bubble about this 'Organization XIII,' but I get the feeling ol' Xemnas is mixing truth with pure bull and making the latter look like more truth. This whole operation seems pretty rigged to me."

The blue-haired man was silent for a long time. Then….

"…You're right."

Number VIII actually tripped upon hearing this. He grasped the edge of the sink to steady himself and looked at his companion in shock. "I'm sorry…can you say that one more time?"

Saix gave him a flat look. "And feed your already over-inflated ego? I think not. What I mean is that I believe that Xemnas is keeping things from us. He is not telling us the full extent of his plans."

"Hmm…" Axel braced his hands on the sink, perching on its edge. He chewed his lower lip, saying, "I get the feeling Xiggy knows more than he's lettin' on too."

"Undoubtedly," Saix smirked. "He is Number II after all." He then glanced over his shoulder toward the door and said, "In any case, we will speak more of this on a later date. We have neither the time nor the privacy right now."

Axel snickered and rubbed away the condensation that had collected on the mirror. "The washroom's not private? Geez, then this place really _is _rigged." Frowning, he added, "Wait, whaddaya mean we don't have the time?"

"A meeting is scheduled to begin in the Round Room in fifteen minutes. Your presence is mandatory. I believe Xemnas wishes to discuss your position in the Organization."

The pyro groaned loudly, hanging his head. "Oh, come on," he whined. "They already gave me a new name, number, and title to memorize. What more do they want from me?"

Saix tilted his head, his eyes glinting. "Every member has some skill set that Xemnas finds valuable. He has apparently decided on yours."

Lifting his face, Axel gave a vampiric grin that was more than a little unpleasant. "So we're all pawns in some grand, convoluted game?"

The Diviner did not answer. With a dismissive look, he turned his back on the young man. "Fifteen minutes, Axel," he stated. "Do not be late."

"Yeah, yeah, I got it memorized," Axel waved a hand nonchalantly. He turned back toward the mirror.

Having cleaned its foggy surface, he could now make out his reflection. He froze at what he saw. His eyes, already arresting with their green color, were each accentuated by a dark violet reverse teardrop marking on the soft skin beneath them. A week had passed and he still had not gotten used to them. They were sharp, mysterious…and indelible. No amount of rubbing could remove them from his skin.

Axel's fingers tightened on the sink's rim as he stared at the sinister tattoos. Something within him felt suddenly tight. Almost unconsciously, he murmured, "Isa…"

Said individual paused at the doorway. He glanced over his shoulder, pinning Axel with his gaze.

The traced his finger over the skin beneath his eyes. "Why do I have these things?"

Saix regarded him expressionlessly for a several seconds. Then…Axel could swear that his stony visage softened, if only a tiny bit. "The darkness marks all who fall into its depths in some manner, Lea," he replied.

Axel scrutinized the man's reflection in the mirror. "Yeah…" he muttered, taking note of his once blue-green, now golden eyes and impishly pointed ears. "…I guess it does."

No additional words passed between them. Saix left without a farewell and Axel said nothing to see him off. He simply stared into the mirror, eyes locked on the ineradicable tears.

The darkness marked everyone in some way. So…that meant he really had been tainted.

After toweling off his torso and combing his fingers through his hair to reanimate the spikes, Axel trudged back to his bedroom. He suddenly wished that he had not worn his trousers in the shower as he sloshed along, shivering from the corridor's icy temperature.

Finally reaching his room, the redhead was surprised to find one of the silver-bodied Dusks lurking near his bed. Hearing his entrance, the constantly-twitching creature turned until its zipper mouth faced him. Apparently, the servant had just delivered fresh clothing to his room, probably under orders from Saix. Yet…it seemed agitated.

Rubbing away the goosebumps on his arms, Axel moved toward the Dusk. It glanced away from him, seeming almost to tense. A red flag went up in Axel's mind.

"What's up with you?" he demanded, placing his hands on his hips.

The Dusk gave its undulating version of a bow. _"Nothing, my liege…"_ it whispered into its superior's mind. _"…I was merely sent to give you new garments for the meeting and to remind you not to be late."_

It then vanished. It seemed far too eager to get away from him. Axel stared at the spot where it had been for awhile. His eyes narrowed.

"That meeting again…" he cursed softly. "Crap, even the Dusks know more than I do."

The youth promptly got dressed. Sitting on the edge of his bed, he yawned widely. He rubbed at his sore, sleep-deprived eyes, longing to crawl back into bed and fall into a coma. But he knew that Saix would murder him if he slacked off after…what was it, three reminders?

Chuckling, Axel shook his head. "Oh well…duty calls," he muttered and teleported himself to the meeting's location.

The Round Room was appropriately named. It was tall, narrow, and perfectly cylindrical. All of its features were white, save for the massive grey Nobody sigil on the floor. Thirteen towering thrones rested in stair-stepping patterns against the walls. Only eight had members assigned to them.

_"Wonder if we'll ever get up to thirteen…"_ Axel thought, staring intensely at the last chair.

Lost in contemplation, he was startled when a hand was clapped on his shoulder. He jerked and tried to free himself. Harsh laughter sounded at his efforts.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, easy there, Flamesilocks," Xigbar grinned teasingly at the younger member. "I don't bite."

Axel relaxed only slightly when he discovered the person's identity. Xigbar was a spindly man with long, grey-streaked black hair pulled into a ponytail. He wore the standard, onyx coat of Organization XIII. However, the inscrutable nature of his was far undermined by the mystery behind his facial features. A long, jagged scar ran along his jaw. He had a single golden eye, the other concealed by an eyepatch. In spite of all the talking the man did, he was more than a little elusive when it came to the story behind his wounds.

Smirking at the Freeshooter's statement, Axel folded his arms over his chest. "I'm not so sure about that. And really, 'Flamesilocks'? Is that the best nickname you could come up with?"

Xigbar's crooked grin widened derisively. "What, you like 'fang face' better?"

Number VIII instantly stiffened. He had to suppress the urge to clamp a hand over his eyes and fought to keep his expression neutral. Xigbar just kept right on grinning.

"Chill out, kid," he patted him on the shoulder. "A little teasing's good for ya. Don't want your fiery head to get too big before you find out about your unique job."

Axel frowned, running a hand through his spiky locks. "Seems like everyone knows about it except me. Is it really that important?"

Xigbar threw his head back and laughed heartily. "Oh yeah, this group couldn't manage without it."

Axel couldn't tell by his tone whether the man was being sarcastic or not. He opened his mouth to query further, but Xigbar warped to his throne before he got the chance. Consecutively, clouds of jet black smoke appeared above each chair. Figures slowly materialized within them. Before long, Axel found himself counting down the ranks until his eyes locked with those of Saix.

The Diviner gave no acknowledgement of their having spoken beforehand. His expression was set in its standard impassive frown. Smirking lightly, Axel looked away from him to meet an identical set of golden eyes. These were set on a face of coffee skin. They belonged to a man of bulky stature, the silver tassels of his cloak complimented by long hair of the same hue. His small smile was like that of the _Mona Lisa_—pleasant to some and unreadable to most.

The other faces of Organization XIII, save for Xigbar's and Saix's, were shrouded by dark hoods. Number VIII suddenly felt uncomfortable. It was unnerving—all of those shrouded figures looking down on him with faceless ardency. Putting on a bored expression, he shifted his weight to one leg and faced the Superior once more.

Xemnas raised his eyebrows. He then acknowledged the rest of his following. "Greetings, my fellow Nobodies," he said in his booming voice. "Today is a day to be remembered—for a new position is about to be created in our dynamic Organization."

The cloaked men remained still. Saix focused intensely on Xemnas while Xigbar sniggered softly. Axel stared unblinkingly at his boss, feeling his fingers dig into his biceps. He tried to ignore the imaginary feeling of butterflies in his stomach.

Xemnas continued, "As you know, each of you were selected for a reason. You all have unique talents. The same goes for our newest member—Number VIII."

Axel's eyebrow twitched. His foot tapped an impatient rhythm on the metal floor. He loathed Xemnas's wordy speeches. They made him want to tear his hair out.

_"Just get to the point already!"_ he thought with vehemence.

As if hearing his thoughts, the man gave another one of those odd smiles. His gaze locked with that of the newest member. "Axel. I Xemnas, your Superior and leader of Organization XIII, appoint you as the Castle's Enforcer of the Rules. It is your duty to ensure that each member follows our code of conduct…by any means necessary."

His untoward smile widened a bit at his last statement. Axel frowned in confusion. Rather than elaborating, the Superior sat back in his chair and announced, "That is all. Meeting adjourned."

One by one the members vanished into darkness. Saix was delayed in following suit, staring at his former companion. Axel could swear that he saw a hint of a triumphant smile on his face before Number VII evaporated into shadows. Xigbar too was slow in teleporting. When he did, he appeared next to the redhead again.

"'Enforcer of the Rules'," Number II chuckled, punching him lightly on the arm. "Well, aren't you special."

Axel rubbed at his arm, eyes narrowed. "Sounds a little…self-righteous, doesn't it?"

"Righteous? As if. The sacred rule you'll be defending is 'traitors are eliminated'." Xigbar pulled him closer so that he could whisper into his ear. "That was just Xemnas's euphemism for 'assassin,' Flamesilocks."

Though the youth was determined to retain his poker face in front of this man, he could not stop his eyes from widening. Assassin? Why on earth had Xemnas given him such a position? He swallowed hard against his throat which was suddenly dry as ash.

A Corridor of Darkness opened several feet away. Laughing evilly, Xigbar walked backward toward it. "Looks like the Superior's decided on your skill set," he showed his incisors, pointing at his one good iris. "I'll be keeping my eye on you."

With that, he left. Axel stood alone in the chamber, a little stunned. It made sense now. Vaguely, he had wondered why Xemnas had gone through the trouble of calling together an assembly. He could have come to Axel in person and explained his position in plain terms. But Number I was not blind. He knew that his underlings were sharp enough to see beyond his superfluous terminology to the true essence of Number VIII's employment. They would know, both by the job and the brands burned into Axel's face, that he was a marked man. They would know…and they would watch their words and actions. For now, Xemnas had someone to do his dirty work—namely, eliminating the opposition.

Cold laughter resounded in the back of Axel's throat as he lifted his face toward the eighth chair. A twisted smile played on his lips. Very well. If being Xemnas's assassin was his path forward in this dull plane of existence, so be it. He would be the Organization dog. He would lie, cheat, steal, betray, and kill—anything if it meant that he and Isa could be themselves again

That nagging sense of contamination zinged his brain again. This time, Axel accepted it. He was somewhat tainted; he was somewhat dark. He had to be if he planned to follow the assassin's creed.

Shoving his gloved hands into his pockets, Axel teleported to the Grey Room in search of a mission. He strolled casually among his comrades, jade eyes flashing here and there, unabashed of the scarlet letters pinned beneath them.

It was on that night that his nightmares ceased. The past was a ghost of its formerly potent self. All that mattered was the future.

**XXX**

**There we have chapter one! I hope you liked and please review :)! Please no flames. I'll post the next chapter as soon as I get either reviews, favorites, or subscribers for this story (so I know you want to see how it ends :3). **

**Okay, two points of clarification: One, nyctophobia is a phobia of the dark in case you weren't aware. **

**Two, the line about the scarlet letters pinned beneath Axel's eyes is a reference to Nathaniel Hawthorne's **_**The **__**Scarlet Letter**_**. In the story, the main character has to pin a scarlet letter on her dress as a mark of iniquity. Since the darkness marked him, it kinda reminded me of Axel :). **

**I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS, THE SCARLET LETTER, ASSASSIN'S CREED, OR ANY OTHER COPYRIGHTED THING MENTIONED IN THIS STORY**


	2. Cleansed

**I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS**

**Thanks to Atem's Sister Atea for subscribing and to anyone else who read :D! This is the last chapter. It takes place during 358 Days, waaaaay after the first one. It's a lot shorter two...kinda more of an epilogue lol. I hope you enjoy :D!**

**XXX**

"Axel, why do you have those marks under your eyes?"

The inquiry, sudden and unanticipated, nearly made the redhead swallow his entire ice cream—Popsicle stick and all. Perched precariously atop the clock tower, he had to grasp the ledge to keep from falling to his death. Or…second death.

"Where did that come from?" Axel coughed as he steadied himself.

It was Roxas who had asked the question, his golden hair glowing in the setting sun. Blithely licking her ice cream, Xion sat next to him. Her raven hair danced on the breeze and her petite form was relaxed, yet she was attentive to the conversation.

Number XIII shrugged. "Dunno. Just thinking out loud I guess."

Striving to regain some of his composure, Axel leaned his weight back on his palms. "Don't you know it's rude to ask pointed questions about people's facial features?"

"Oh…" Xion glanced down worriedly.

Roxas, on the other hand, tapped his chin thoughtfully. "But just the other day you were going on about how much Xigbar looks like a pirate with his scar and eye patch."

Axel grinned at him. "What, you've never seen a hypocrite before?"

Roxas rolled his eyes while Xion giggled. Though he retained his teasing smile, Axel felt uneasy. Knowing he wasn't off the hook yet, he turned his gaze back toward the Twilight Town sunset.

The world was an artist's dream before him. A red-bricked town lay far below. The ant-like forms of citizens strolled through its sleepy streets, laughing and chatting amongst themselves. An ocean of ruby and topaz light poured over every building and every face, leaving nothing untouched by its warm caress.

In spite of the breathtaking beauty, Axel's mind was far away. The bombshell of a question had overtaken all of his attention.

_"One of these days…"_ he mentally vowed_. "…I'm going to make a list of all possible awkward topics these two could think of and plan out my answers ahead of time."_

The pyro scratched his head in his usual nervous gesture. He should have expected their curiosity. Roxas and Xion were always asking him questions about…well, everything. He was fond of them, more so than should be possible for a Nobody. He tried to answer them clearly when he could, but often found himself unable to formulate a response. Other times, he just dodged the questions, unwilling to lie to them.

Why was that? After all those days of clever manipulation, smooth lying, and charming acting at Castle Oblivion…why did he suddenly find himself loathing to deceive these two children?

Axel's serpent eyes narrowed in the dazzling sunlight. His mind traveled a million worlds away and he did not hear Roxas's insistent voice.

"Axel. Axel? Hey! Earth to Axel!" the boy poked his elder friend with a bare ice cream stick.

"Huh?" Startled, Axel turned.

Two identical pairs of sapphire eyes stared back at him. Roxas's were fiery with annoyance while Xion's grew shadowed with worry.

"Axel, are you okay?" The girl asked.

Roxas huffed. "And you call _me_ a zombie…are you gonna answer my question?"

Looking back and forth between the two, Number VIII rapidly scrolled through his mental list of options. He certainly wasn't going to tell them the truth. They weren't ready for something like that…and he did not exactly love talking about it. So, he decided to do what he did best—dodge the question through confusion.

Axel stuck his barren ice cream stick in his mouth like a tooth pick and gave Roxas a cool, sideways glance. "I have them because I have them. They're a part of me and I'm a part of them. I wouldn't be me without them and they wouldn't be them without me. Got it memorized?"

Xion glanced down at her lap, thinking about it. Roxas just stared in utter bewilderment, his mouth hanging open and his melting ice cream threatening to slide off of its stick. He blinked several times. Axel watched him, crimson brows arched and emerald eyes glinting mischievously.

Finally, Number XIII shook his head. "You sound like that freaky cat from Wonderland," he growled. "What kind of answer is that?"

The redhead tisked and waved an admonishing finger. He then vanished into the air—exactly like the Cheshire Cat would have done. Roxas leapt to his feet, looking around the clock tower in shock.

"What the…! Where did he…?"

While the young Nobody was thus occupied, the Flurry of Dancing Flames rematerialized beside Xion. He sat cross-legged on the ledge, grinning impishly at her with the stick still clenched between his teeth. Number XIV clapped a gloved hand over her mouth to keep herself from laughing out loud.

The two watched an oblivious Roxas as he searched the far right corner of the tower, trying to see if the "missing" pyromaniac had teleported back there. His back was turned to them and he was carelessly holding his ice cream out in open air, unaware of its telltale slipping. When Xion's eyes were glowing with tears and she looked like she was about to positively burst from laughter, Axel cleared his throat.

"Don't hurt yourself, Zombie Boy. Sit back down and eat your ice cream before you drop it on some innocent bystander below."

Roxas whipped around with wide eyes. Face glowing red, he huffed at his friend. "Oh, thanks!" But he was chuckling as he took a seat at Xion's opposite side.

Reaching across the girl, Axel patted Roxas's shoulder. He dragged his long fingers through Xion's short ebony locks before focusing back on the picturesque view. Then…he froze, realizing what he had just done.

Since when had he been this fond, this _affectionate_ with anyone? In the presence of Marluxia, Larxene, and Vexen's group, he had shown nothing but rapier wit and an icy, elusive exterior. What had changed? Was it possible that the assassin's creed he had adopted so long ago was wavering in his mind?

Pondering this, the young man turned to gaze upon his companions. They were both staring at the dying sun, their eyes reflecting the powerful light that blazed within them. Studying those innocent faces…he felt a genuine smile form on his lips. It was a strange feeling, being so used to teasing grins and derisive smirks.

No, the assassin's creed had not faded. He would still lie, cheat, steal, betray, and kill…but not to get back his humanity. His willingness to do all of those things remained the same, but his reason for doing them had altered. Now, he would do whatever it took to take care of these two. He would protect them to the best of his ability—no matter what crazy stunts he had to do.

Grinning, Axel turned back to enjoy the view. Suddenly, he didn't feel so contaminated anymore.

**XXX**

**Haha I love messing with poor Roxas :). I hope you liked and pretty please review :D!**

**I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS**


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